New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1887-11-01
SpECJITEN UEvOCRiT.

4 SPECIMEN DENOCRIT
"Coloncl Fcllows-Ilis Long Fight Tor the
Tniou.> is the startling announcement now
made by The sun That headline was SAFE
! to attract attention. No reader ol ordinary
! intelligence would miss a chance to learn what
- long fight for the Union had been Wagcd ny
! the native Of this State who became rene"
! Colonel: Joining the 1St Arkansas Regiment " in
! the caIly spring Of 1851" As Arkansas Votcd
! for secession May 6. II appears that fHioWS
did not lose much time. From that day ms
long fight for the Union" was exactly Ike
the fight for the Union wagcd by Jefferson
! Davis. Robert +. Lee and other rebels III arms.
! Captured ut Port Hudson by the mon army
and held a prisoner until the war ended, he was
finally released after the fall Of Richmond, hay
ING fought for the Union over two years by
irving to help the killing Of Union soldiers
and about two years longer by eating Union
rations as a prisoner Of war Next We shall be
told that General Gordon, who is disgusting
even the casc-hardcncd Democrats of Ohio by
his rebel speeches. and cX-Nnistcr Jackson.
who declared at NlaCon that Lincoln had
usurpcd the place which belonged to Davis.
and Butcher Forrest. and Smallpox breeder
Thompson. and Guerilla Quantrcll are to be
canonzcd in Democratic papers for their long
fight for the Union"
According to the account in 1.-The sun"
Colonel FclowS'S long fight consisted IN
opposing secession until after Fort sumter had
been taken He was a Northern man by birth.
He knew both the crime and the folly Of re-
bcllion. Better than most Of the southern
l.
holding south had fifty chances in the Union
TO one on the battlefield But he lost no time
i'm becoming an active rebel officer when the
Arkansas Convention voted for secession. ana
the members who had held Mr. FcllowS's posi-
ton up to that hour published an address de
caring:
The south IS our country. and While W. are salts
frd that mp 10 the moment when tie Government
committed the folly and wichclncss ~ mailing Wal
upon the seccdcd states The conservative party iu
Arkansas largely IN lie ascendant. We cannot he
Ileve that her soil Is polluted hy being base and
cowarlly enough 10 stop 10 consider, in casting BIS
lot in the unequal struggle In which she i7 engaged
whether she Is right or wrong
That IS the measure Of the loyalty Of Colonel
Fellows. II shocked him that the Government
had made war; upon traitors. 1t did not
shock him that two weeks earlier. the Federal
arscnas at Napoleon and Fort Smith had been
seized by Arkansas rebels and their munitions
stores and Indian good, had been stolen. The
lesson i worth reading Just now. It teaches
how easily Mr.. Fellows would also b"tray his
trust, if elected by the people Of Ncw-lor; to
prosecute rich bIibc- giycrs. H. that unequal
struggle he would not "stop % consider
whether his party friends were iSht or
wrong" If cIucl State should commit the
folly and wickcdncSs Of making war upon
Democratic criminals. His hostility to "mal<-
ing war on" crime. and his early and later
associations. would place hlm On the side Of
rebels against the law.
Is the war over p Democratic journals are
fond Of asking If it is why are Democrats
and Democrats 0nly-cvcrlastingl dragging
forward lis most notorious traitors for honorS at
the hands Of Union citizens. as candidates for
Office or as orators? Why do Dcmocrats-and
Democrats only-try 20 surrender rebel flags
captured by the Union in battle and put up AS
their candidates for the latest offices men who
fought for tho overthrow of the Union ~ long
rs they had power? Whenever rcbcllsm in the
Democratic party both South and North. ceases
TO be aggressive VIndictyc and bent on re-
VcrSal Of the verdict OF battle. when men ether
wise unfit are no longer put forward for the
votes Of loyal citizens solely because they were
conspicuous traitors. then the war viii De- over.
John X. Fellows would never have held any
public Office in loyal state had there not been
Il party which prefers 10 honor beaten traitors
instead Of victorious defenders Of the Union
This nomination compcIN people 10 remember
the PLAIN truth that John f. Fellow, was a
II ~. 4
exactly rs he deserved If he had been hanged
by the generous country which contcmptuou>ly
pardoncd him and set him free.